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Setting Up a Home Workshop


When you're setting up your workshop at home, flexibility is key. You'll work on projects of different sizes, or projects that require different types of tools. Sometimes you'll work alone, and other times you might work with your kids or grandkids. Here are some tips to set up a workshop that will make it easy for you to enjoy woodworking.

Location

Before deciding where to place your workshop, consider how much you intend to use it. If you don't use it often, you might find that a corner of the garage or basement is all you really need. It's also a good idea to consider your climate — a garage workshop might seem like a great idea in mild weather, but it will require heat in winter and possibly fans in summer. Wherever you build your shop, if you place your primary work bench on locking casters, you will have some flexibility to move it around to take advantage of natural light, or even to move your tools out into the driveway to give yourself more space to spread out for a large project.

Storage

Keeping your tools organized is critical to working efficiently in your shop. If you can't find the tools you need, you will waste time looking instead of working on your project. You may also end up buying duplicates of tools that have gone missing, meaning you'll have more to organize later and you're spending unnecessary money. A combination of storage systems works best for most people. Having at least one large tool chest gives you a place to store small tools, such as screwdrivers and wrench sets. Peg boards are great for hanging storage of larger or awkwardly shaped tools.

Lighting

If your shop is set up in a location with plenty of natural lighting, that's great. You will still need to install artificial lighting, however, so that you can work on cloudy days or after dark. In addition, some bright task lighting can help in areas where you're doing very focused detail work. Bringing in lights that operate with a single touch, or with voice commands, is great for those times you find yourself with hands full and not quite able to see clearly.
 
Planning ahead as you prepare to set up your home workshop will help ensure that you end up with a shop that is enjoyable to use, whether you're working alone or with others.

Comments

  1. I would love a home workshop to do crafts and furniture refiinishing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This would be amazing! Thanks for the tips!

    ReplyDelete

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